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What INEC Will Do If BVAS Fails – Commissioner

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it has plans should the Bimodal Voter Registration System fails during the forthcoming 2023 elections.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who spoke on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’, noted that the Commission had trained technicians who would be on standby at polling units.

There had been speculations about the possibility of server failures in the course of the transmission of election results through BVAS, especially by some politicians.

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Okoye on Sunday noted that the electoral body had already made provision for the use of the BVAS in the over 176,000 polling units in the country. He, however, noted that INEC also made provision for spare BVAS machines in the case of any failure.

READ ALSO: 2023: INEC Removes Polling Units From Politicians’ Homes, Churches, Mosques, Shrines

“For each electoral ward, we are going to have some spare BVAS to be deployed speedily if there is any issue or any challenge in any of our polling units. We have also trained technical support staff that can also intervene if there is any challenge with the BVAS.

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“But if there is sustained malfunction of the BVAS up to the time of the closing of the poll, the Electoral Act demands that we should undermine voting in that particular polling unit and repeat voting within 24 hours,” Okoye stated.

He earlier described as “an impossibility”, the plan by any politician who was already allegedly harvesting PVCs to rig the elections.

According to INEC, BVAS technology that will be used for the accreditation and authentication of voters in 2023, will reject biometric data of persons who are not original owners of traded permanent voters cards.

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“In terms of any politician bypassing the BVAS, I want to tell you that that will not happen, that is an impossibility,” Okoye said.

READ ALSO: Polls: INEC Knocks Tinubu Over Comment On E-transmission

“Anybody who is purchasing a permanent voter card is just engaging in an exercise in futility. The only thing any person can do is to make sure the voter does not vote on election day but for you to come to the polling unit on election day with a voter’s card belonging to someone else, and you attempt to vote with it, that is an impossibility, the BVAS will not capture your fingerprint,” Okoye said.

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INEC also noted that polling units near politicians’ homes had been removed.

He said, “We removed polling units from the palaces of traditional rulers, we removed polling units that are near the homes of politicians, we removed polling units that are in shrines, we also removed polling units from places we consider not conducive for electoral business.”

Okoye also admonished voters to support the commission’s efforts through shared responsibility and mandate protection to ensure free and fair 2023 elections.

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Twist In Edo PDP Crisis As Faction Elects State Executives

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The crisis rocking Edo State chapter Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reignited on Sunday as a faction loyal to the party National Vice Chairman, South -South elected Nosa Ogieva as the state chairman of the party.

Ogieva, who was sworn in alongside other 13 members of the executive promised to reunite the party, and that PDP would soon begin to win elections again in the state.

Recall that a faction loyal to the Umar Damagum-led national secretariat of the PDP held its congress on September 27, 2925 where Dr. Tony Aziegbemi emerged as the state chairman of the PDP.

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Earlier in his opening remarks, Orbih said former governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki was responsible for the crisis in the party.

READ ALSO:2027: Jonathan Will Contest Under PDP, Return To Aso Rock — Jerry Gana

Obaseki, who said Obaseki quarreled with everybody he met in the party, added that the poor performance of the party in the recently conducted by-elections showed how unpopular the party had become.

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Orbih carpeted an earlier statement issued by the other faction of the party where they called on members to disregard the announcement for the State Congress.

He said: “Just yesterday (Saturday), I saw a statement issued by some funny characters saying they are advising party members not to attend this event. Are you not here?

“Those who don’t have any moral authority to speak on behalf of the party should keep their mouth shut.

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READ ALSO:

As we prepare to elect our executive, I will appeal to you vote for those with capacity to lead this party, not those who will sell out, not those who will deny members their legitimate right

“As members of our great party. There is no doubt that PDP is going through a leadership crisis, both at the national level and several other states.

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“Let us not deceive ourselves for the first time in the history of our great party, we have elected governors of PDP and founding leaders, founding members of this party, leaving this party every day for one simple reason, failure of leadership.

“Elected governors are living. Elected senators are living. Elected members of the House are living in Edo state, we know the root of our problem. We had a united party where everybody related with one another as brothers and sisters, until Godwin obaseki joined our party.

READ ALSO:PDP Zones 2027 Presidential Ticket To South

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Obaseki destroyed our party. He sowed the seeds of discord, deep rooted seeds of discord in our party. He sinned against the party. He sinned against the people. He sinned against the state.

Continuing, Orbih said: “He came into the party and destroyed everything that was good in the party. Today, our party’s umbrella is shattered, torn, and we are here today to rebuild the party.

“What used to put us together as a family was totally destroyed by obaseki. He fought every person except himself, and at the end, we are at a very disadvantaged position in the politics of Edo state.”

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Orbih described the other faction of the PDP as undertakers who he said were only praying for the party to collapse and then join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

 

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2027: Senator Imasuen Visits His Ward, Seeks Support For Tinubu

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) family in Ward 5, Umagbai, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State, on Saturday, rolled out the drums as Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South, visited for an interactive session with party faithful at the grassroots level to mobilise support for President Tinubu ahead of 2027 general elections.

The interactive session, which drew chieftains, ward chairmen and party faithful from the 22 units in the ward, was marked by jubilation and reaffirmed the party’s strength in the district.

Speaking at the gathering, Senator Imasuen expressed gratitude for the warm reception, stressing the need to build bridges with his local base.

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He noted that while he joined the APC at the State level on June 12, it was crucial to identify with his ward because “politics is local.”

READ ALSO:Senator Imasuen Empowers Edo South Farmers With Farm Implements

It was very imperative that I come to my ward, not only to officially inform them of my joining the party since June 12, but also to meet the ward executives,” the lawmaker said.

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“This move will strengthen the party, promote unity and ensure victory at the polls.”

Imasuen lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as “bold and courageous” economic reforms, adding that such steps were necessary to turn the nation’s fortunes around.

He also echoed the Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo’s pledge to deliver 2.5 million votes to Tinubu in 2027, declaring the target a “done deal.”

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READ ALSO:Edo Senator, Neda Imasuen Defects To APC, Says LP In Shreds, No Direction

“By the grace of God, Asiwaju 2027 is settled. Part of that settlement is to begin to work towards that goal from the grassroots,” he added.

APC leaders in the local government hailed the senator for the move to galvanize support for the president ahead of 2027, pledging their support for the movement.

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The All Progressive Congress, LGA Chairman, Osayimwenre Osawe, described him as “an asset” whose presence as a federal lawmaker would bring democratic dividends to Uhunmwonde.

READ ALSO:Call For Sen. Imasuen’s Recall: Group Tackles Omobude, Uwangue

“He is not a liability. He came to add value. Being a senator of the Federal Republic is a plus to our party. Beyond development, his return for a second term would make him a ranking senator, and that will position him for more influence on the Senate floor,” Osawe declared.

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Also speaking, Acting Council Chairman, Augustine Imafidon Uhuonde, pledged unwavering support for the senator, praising his performance in facilitating projects in the senatorial district.

“Even watching him from the other side, he made us proud. Today, he has come down to the ward level to join hands with us. That shows he is ‘grass-rooted’ and truly the man of the people,” Uhuonde said.

Prominent party figures at the event included Festus Aimierovbiye, Chairman APC Ward 5; former Edo State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Orobosa Omo-Ojo; Hon. Derick Uhunmwagho, Liaison Officer and Chief of Staff to the senator; Iziegbe Gabriel, LGA Coordinator; and Ese Edegbe, Ward 5 Assistant Coordinator.

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Court Declines Kachikwu’s Motion Against INEC, ADC Leaders

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday declined to hear an application filed by the African Democratic Congress’ 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party.

Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, refused to entertain the motion.

Kachikwu, through his counsel, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), had sought an order compelling INEC to withdraw the publication of Mark and Rauf Aregbesola’s names as national chairman and secretary of the ADC, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

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INEC had recently recognised Mark, a former Senate President, and Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State, as the party’s national chairman and national secretary.

READ ALSO:Court Dismisses Suit Seeking Refund Of Rivers’ Monies Expended By Ibas

On July 7, Kachikwu and four others – Adikwu Elias, Etimbuk Umoh, Muhammed Khala, and Alaku Godwin William – filed an originating summons challenging the recognition of the duo.

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The suit lists INEC, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola as the first to fifth defendants.

When the matter was called on Friday, Akinlaja told the court that a motion dated September 19 had been filed. He argued that despite the pendency of the suit, INEC went ahead to recognise Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders.

The plaintiffs asked the court to set aside the recognition and publication of their names, describing it as a breach of the doctrine of lis pendens. They also sought an injunction restraining Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola from further relating with INEC as ADC’s national officers.

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However, counsel for the ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), along with other defence lawyers, opposed the application.

READ ALSO:South African Court Finds Radical Politician Malema Guilty On Gun Charges

After hearing arguments, Justice Omotosho declined to entertain the motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025.

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He said, “This court is not inclined to nullify anything at this stage, whether done before or now. This is a political case. I am not taking any interlocutory matter.”

The judge held that all processes filed by the parties, including preliminary objections, would be taken together with the substantive case.

Despite repeated pleas by Akinlaja for the motion to be heard, the court stood its ground.

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Justice Omotosho also granted an application for joinder filed by Nkemakolam Ukandu, the ADC deputy national secretary, and ordered that his name be added as a defendant.

He directed the plaintiffs to file the amended processes within 48 working hours and gave the defence seven days to respond. The case was adjourned till October 23 for hearing.

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